
The Montana Society 




SONS OF THE 



AMERICAN REVOLDTION, 



894. 



CONSTITUTION OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY 

OF THE SONS OF THE 

AMERICAN REVOLUTION; 

ALSO, 

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS 

WITH 
I^OLL OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS 

OF THE 

MONT AN 4^^QCI ETY 

OF THE SONS OF THE 
// 

American Revolution. 



ORGANIZED AT 



June 5th, 1894. 



Helena, Montana : 

Williams & Sons, Printers, 

1894. 






FES 9 1916 



\ 

A 
C3 



OFFICERS. 



Judge DECIUS S. WADE, President Helena 

Captain JOHN C. DENT, Vice-President Fort Assinniboine 

Hon. R. H. HOWEY, Secretary! . . ...... f^ ?/. .Helena 

JAMES U. SANDERS, Esq., Treasurer Helena 

Chaplain CEPHAS C. BATEMAN, Registrar .... Fort Assinniboine 



BOARD OF MANAGERS. 



Decius S. Wade, President, ex officio Helena 

John C. Dent, Vice-President, ex officio Fort Assinniboine 

R. H. Howey, Secretary, ex officio Helena 

James U. Sanders, Treasurer, ex officio Helena 

Chaplain Cephas C. Bateman, Registrar, ex officio.. .Ft. Assinniboine 

Charles J. Brackett . . 5'.-. '.•':'. ■?. rl . . . . Helena 

J. B. Collins Miles City 

Arthur J. Craven Helena 

Cornelius Hedges Helena 

Alan B. Murray Cokedale 

Charles T. Perry Helena 

James L. Rogers Fort Assinniboine 

Frederick Dent Sharpe Fort Assinniboine 

Louis A. Walker Helena 

Almar P. Webster Helena 



MEMBERS. 




John R. Barrows, 
Cephas C. Bateman, 
Charles J. Brackett, 
Hardy Bryan, 
J. B. Collins, 
Arthur J. Craven, 
John C. Dent, 
CorneHus Hedges, 
R. H. Howey, 
Alan B. Murray, 
Charles T. Perry, 
James L. Rogers, 
Edward C. Russel, 
James U. Sanders, 
Frederick Dent Sharpe, 
Lilburn G. Turnley, 
Decius S. Wade, 
Harry L. Walker, 
Louis A. Walker, 
Almar P. Webster, 




Helena 

Fort Assinniboine 

Helena 

- Miles City 

- . Helena 
Fort Assinniboine 

- Helena 

Cokedale 

Helena 

Fort Assinniboine 

Helena 

Fort Assinniboine 

Elkhorn 

Helena 



-_ . C-^jC^ 



r. 



A^<^ 



1 /^Ja-^.^U. }UiA, ^^, 



8 THE MONTANA SOCIETY, 

tions of American freedom ; and to carry on the 
purposes expressed in the Preamble to the Consti- 
tution of our Country and the injunctions of Wash- 
ington in his farewell address to the American people. 

ARTICLE III. 

MEMBERSHIP. 

Section i. Any man shall be eligible to mem- 
bership in this Society, who, being of the age of 
twenty-one years or over, and a citizen of good re- 
pute in the community, is the lineal descendant of 
an ancestor, who was at all times unfailing in his 
loyalty to, and rendered actual service in, the cause 
of American Independence, either as an officer, sol- 
dier, seaman, marine, militiaman or minute man, in 
the armed forces of the Continental Congress or of 
any one of the several Colonies or States ; or as a 
Signer of the Declaration of Independence ; or as a 
member of a Committee of Safety or Correspondence ; 
or as a member of any Continental, Provincial, or 
Colonial Congress or Legislature ; or as a civil offi- 
cer, either of one of the Colonies or States or of the 
national government ; or as a recognized patriot who 
performed actual service by overt acts of resistance 
to the authority of Great Britain. 

Section 2. Applications for membership shall 
be made to any State Society, in duplicate, upon 
blank forms prescribed by the General Board of 
Managers, and shall in each case set forth the name, 
occupation and residence of the applicant, his line of 
descent, and the name, residence and services of his 
ancestor or ancestors in the Revolution, from whom 
he derives eligibility. The applicant shall make 



SONS OF THE REVOLUTION. 9 

oath that the statements of his apphcation are true, 
to the best of his knowledjTje and beHef. Upon the 
approval of an apphcation by the State Society, to 
which it is made, one copy shall be transmitted to 
the Registrar General of the National Society, who 
shall examine further the eligibility of the applicant. 
If satisfied that the member is not eligible, he shall 
return the application for correction. No election 
of a new member shall be valid, unless his eligibility 
shall be approved by the Registrar General. 

Section 3. A State Society may provide for 
life memberships by the payment into its treasury of 
a sum, in commutation uf annual dues, not less than 
tifty dollars. 

Section 4. Theofficial designation of the mem- 
bers of the Society of the Sons of the American 
Revolution shall be " Compatriots." 

ARTICLE IV. 

NATIONAL AND STATE SOCIETIES. 

Section i. The National Society shall embrace 
all the members of the State Societies of the Sons of 
the American Revolution, now existing or which 
may hereafter be established under this Constitution. 

Section 2. Whenever in any State or Terri- 
tory, in which a State Society does not exist, or in 
which a State Society has become inactive or failed 
for two 3'ears to pa}' its annual dues to the National 
Society, fifteen or more persons dul}' qualified for 
membership in this Society may associate themselves 
as a State Society of the Sons of the American Rev- 
olution, and organize in accordance with this Con- 
stitution ; the}' iTiay be admitted by the General 



10 THE MONTA.NA SOCIETY, 

Board of Managers of the National Society as " The 

Society of the Sons of the American Revolution," 

and shall thereafter have exclusive local jurisdiction 
in the State or Territory or in the District in which 
they are organized, subject to the provisions of this 
Constitution ; but this provision shall not be con- 
strued so as to exclude the admission of members 
living in other States. 

Section 3. Each State Society shall judge of 
the qualifications of its members and of those pro- 
posed for membership, subject to the provisions of 
this Constitution, and shall regulate all matters per- 
taining to its own affairs. It shall have authorit}^ to 
establish local chapters within its own jurisdiction, 
and to endow the chapters with such power as it may 
deem proper, not inconsistent with this Constitution. 
It shall have authority, after due notice and impar- 
tial trial, to expel any member, who, by conduct un- 
becoming a gentleman, shall render himself unwor- 
thy to remain a member of the Society. 

Section 4. Each State Society shall submit 
to the Annual Congress of the National Society a re- 
port, setting forth b}' name the additions, transfers 
and deaths, and any other changes in the membership 
and progress of the State Society during the prece- 
ding year, and make such suggestions, as it shall 
deem proper, for the promotion of the objects of the 
whole order. 

Section 5. Whenever a member, in good stand- 
ing in his Society, changes his residence from the 
jurisdiction of the State Society of which he is a 
member, to that of another, he shall be entitled, if 
he so elects, to a certificate of honorable demission 



SONS OF THE REVOLUTION. 11 

from his own State Societ}-, in order that he may be 
transferred to the State Society to whose jurisdiction 
he has changed his residence ; provided, that his 
membership shall continue in the former until he 
shall have been elected a member of the latter. 
Each State Society shall, however, retain full control 
of the admission of members by transfer. 

Section 6. Wherever the word " State " oc- 
curs in this Constitution, it shall be held to include 
within its meaning the District of Columbia and the 
Territories of the United States. 

ARTICLE V. 

OFFICERS AND MANAGERS. 

Section i. The General Officers of the Na- 
tional Society shall be a President General, five Vice 
Presidents General, a Secretary General, Treasurer 
General, Registrar General, Historian General, and 
Chaplain General, who shall be elected by ballot b}' 
a vote of the majority of the members present at the 
annual meeting of the Congress of the National So- 
ciety and shall hold office for one year and until their 
successors shall be elected. 

Section 2. The General Officers, together with 
the Presidents of the State Societies ex officio, shall 
constitute the General Board of Managers of the 
National Society, which Board shall have authority 
to adopt and promulgate the By-Laws of the National 
Society, to prescribe the duties of the General Offi- 
cers, to provide the seal, to designate and make reg- 
ulations for the issue of the insignia, and to transact 
the general business of the National Society during 
the intervals between the sessions of the Congress. 



12 THE MONTANA SOCIETY, 

Meetings of the general Board may be held, after 
not less than ten days' notice, at the call of the Presi- 
dent General, or, in case of his absence or inability, 
at the call of the senior Vice-President General, cer- 
tified by the Secretary General. Meetings shall be 
called at the request of seven members. At all such 
meetings, seven shall constitute a quorum. 

Section 3. An Executive Committee of seven, 
of whom the President General shall be the Chair- 
man, may be elected by the Board of Managers, 
which Committee shall, in the interim between the 
meetings of the Board, transact such business as 
shall be delegated to it by the Board of Managers. 

ARTICLE VI. 

DUES. 

Each State Society shall pay annuall}^ to the 
Treasurer General, to defray the expenses of the 
National Society, fifty cents for each active member 
thereof, unless intermitted by the National Congress. 
All such dues shall be paid on or before the first 
day of April in each year for the ensuing year, in 
order to secure representation in the Congress of the 
National Society. 

ARTICLE VII. 

MEETINGS AND ELECTIONS. 

Section i. The annual Congress of the Na- 
tional Society for the election of the General Officers 
and for the transaction of business, shall be held on 
the 30th day of April, or on the ist day of May, in 
every year. The time, hour and place of such meet- 
ing shall be designated by the Board of Managers. 



SONS OF THE REVOLUTION. 13 

Section 2. Special meetings of the Congress 
may be called by the President General, and shall 
be called by him when directed so to do b}' the Board 
of Managers, or whenever requested in writing so to 
do by at least five State Societies, on giving thirty 
days'' notice, specif3ing the time and place of such 
meetings and the business to be transacted. 

Section 3. The following shall be members of 
all such annual or special meetings of the Congress 
and shall be entitled to vote therein : 

(i.) All the officers and the ex-Presidents 
General of the National Society. 

(2.) The President and senior Vice-President 
of each State Society. 

(3.) One delegate at large from each State 
Society. 

(4.) One delegate for ever}- one hundred mem- 
bers of the Society within a State and for a fraction 
of fift}' or over. 

ARTICLE VIII. 

AMENDMENTS. 

This Constitution may be altered or amended 
at any meeting of the Congress of the National So- 
ciety, provided that sixty days' notice of the pro 
posed alterations or amendments, which shall first 
have been recommended by a State Society, shall be 
"sent by the Secretary General to the President of 
each State Society. A vote of two-thirds of those 
present shall be necessary to their adoption. 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 



CONSTITUTION. 



ARTICLE I. 

NAME. 

The name of this Society shall be " The Mon- 
tana Society of the Sons of the American Revolu- 
tion." 

ARTICLE II. 

OBJECT. 

The purposes of this Society are to keep alive 
among ourselves and our descendants, and in the 
communit}', the patriotic spirit of the men who 
achieved American Independence ; to collect and 
secure for preservation the manuscript rolls, records, 
and other documents relating to the War of the Rev- 
olution ; and to promote social intercourse and fellow- 
ship among its members. 

ARTICLE III. 

MEMBERSHIP. 

Any person shall be eligible to membership who 
is a male above the age of twenty one (21) years, 
and is descended from an ancestor who assisted in 
establishing American Independence, during the War 
of the Revolution, in any one of the following capac- 
ities : 



16 THE MONTANA SOCIETY, 

1. A military or naval officer. 

2. A soldier, sailor, or marine. 

3. A member of a Committee of Correspon- 
dence, or Council of Safety, or other similar bod}'. 

4. A member of a Provincial, or of the Conti- 
tinental Congress. 

5. An officer in the service of one of the orig- 
inal Colonies or States, or of the National Govern- 
ment representing or composed of these Colonies or 
States. Provided, that such service vi^as of so im- 
portant a character as to render the official specially 
liable to arrest and punishment by the British Gov- 
ernment. 

6. Any recognized patriot actuall}^ arrested 
and punished for giving aid and comfort to the pat- 
riotic cause. Provided, that if such ancestor, hav- 
ing assisted in establishing American Independence 
in any of the above capacities, either adhered to the 
enemy or failed to maintain an honorable record 
throughout the War of the Revolution, his previous 
service shall not entitle his descendants to member- 
ship in this Society. And provided further, that no 
person shall be admitted to membership unless at 
least one member of the Society, or some well-known 
citizen of Montana, shall state in writing his belief 
that the applicant for admission is of good moral 
character, and would be a worthy member of the 

Society. 

ARTICLE IV. 

OFFICERS. 

I. The officers of the Society shall be a Pres- 
ident, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and 
a Registrar, who, with ten other members, shall 
constitute a Board of Managers. 



SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 17 

2. The Officers and Managers, and Delegates 
to the National Society shall be elected by a vote 
of the majority of the members present at the annual 
meetings of the Society, and shall hold office for one 
year, or until their successors are elected. 

3. The Board of Managers shall fill any va- 
cancy occurring among the Officers of the Society, 
or the members of the Board, or the Delegates to 
the National Society. 

4. In addition to the officers above provided 
for, the Board of Managers may, from time to time, 
appoint a Chaplain, a Historian, and such subordi- 
nate officers as they may deem necessary, who shall 
hold office until the annual meeting next succeeding 
their appointment. 

ARTICLE V. 

MEETINGS. 

1. The annual meeting shall be held on the 
17th day of June, the anniversary of the battle of 
Bunker Hill, in every year, except when that date 
shall fall on Sunday or Monday, in which case the 
meeting shall be held on the Tuesday immediately 
following. 

2. The hour and place of meeting shall be des- 
ignated by the Board of Managers. 

3. Special meetings may be called by the Pres- 
ident, or Board of Managers, at any time. The 
President shall call a special meeting whenever re- 
quested in writing so to do by five or more members. 

4. Seven members shall constitute a quorum 
at all meetings. 



18 THE MOxVTANA SOCIETY, 

5. General business may be transacted at any 
special meeting. 

ARTICLE VI. 

AMENDMENTS. 

Amendments to this Constitution maybe offered 
to any meeting of the Societ}', but shall not be acted 
on until the next meeting. A copy of every pro- 
posed amendment shall be sent to each member, 
with a notice of the meeting at which the same is to 
be acted on, at least one week prior to said meeting. 
A vote of two-thirds of those present shall be nec- 
essary to its adoption. 



SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 19 



BY-LAWS. 



SECTION I. 

ELECTION OF MEMBERS. 

1. The names and proofs of qualification of 
candidates for membership shall be sent to the Sec- 
retary. They shall be referred by him to a com- 
mittee on membership, consisting of three members 
of the Society to be appointed by the President. 
This committee shall report, as soon as practicable, 
to the Board of Managers, on the qualifications and 
character of candidates. A vote of two-thirds of 
the Managers present at any meeting of the Board 
shall be necessary tu the election of a member. 

2. The amount of the initiation fee shall, in all 
cases, accompany the application for membership. 
If the application be rejected, the amount of the in- 
itiation fee shall be returned to the applicant. No 
member shall be elected unless the initiation fee be 
tirst paid. 

3. The Board of Managers shall have power 
to suspend or expel any member of the Society, for 
sufficient cause, by a vote of two-thirds of all the 
members of the Board. Provided, that at least two 
week's notice of such proposed action shall have been 
given to such member. A member so suspended 
or expelled shall have the right to appeal to a meet- 
ing of the Society from the action of the Board of 
Managers. 



20 THE MONTANA SOCIETY, 

SECTION II. 

INITIATION FEE AND DUES. 

1. The initiation fee shall be five ($5) dollars ; 
the annual dues three ($3) dollars ; or the payment 
at one time of fifty ($50) dollars shall constitute a 
life member, with exemption from payment of dues 
thereafter. 

2. The annual dues shall be pa3able on the 
first day of June in each year. 

3. A member who shall remain in arrears for 
three months after notice of his indebtedness has 
been sent him, may be dropped from the rolls by 
the Board of Managers. 

4. The initiation fees and all payments for life 
membership shall be used by the Board of Managers 
for the purpose of publishing such documents as they 
may deem advisable, or for such special purposes as 
may be ordered by a vote of two-thirds of the Board. 

SECTION III. 

THE PRESIDENT. 

The President, or in his absence the Vice-Pres- 
ident, or in his absence the Chairman, pro tempore, 
shall preside at all meetings of the Society and Board 
of Managers, and shall have a casting vote. He 
shall exercise the usual functions of a presiding offi- 
cer, and shall enforce a strict observance of the Con- 
stitution and By-Laws, and regulations and rules of 
the Society and Board of Managers. 

SECTION IV. 

THE SECRETARY. 

The Secretary shall conduct the general cor- 



SONS OP THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 21 

respondence of the Society. He shall notify all 
members of their election, and of such other matters 
as may be directed by the Society or Board of Man- 
agers. He shall have charge of the seal, certificate 
of incorporation and records, and, together with the 
presiding officer, shall certify all acts of the Society. 
He shall, under the direction of the President, or 
Board of Managers, give due notice of the time and 
place of all meetings of the Society and Board of 
Managers. He shall keep a record of all the pro- 
ceedings and orders of the Society and Board of 
Managers, and shall give notice to the several officers 
of all votes, orders and proceedings affecting them 
or appertaining to their respective duties. 



SECTION V. 

THE TREASURER. 

The Treasurer shall collect and keep the funds 
and securities of the Society. All moneys shall be 
deposited in some bank or savings institution in this 
State, to the credit of the " Montana Society of the 
Sons of the American Revolution," and shall be 
drawn on the check of the Treasurer for the purpo- 
ses of the Society onh\ Out of these funds he shall 
pay such sums as may be ordered by the Society, 
or by the Board of Managers ; he shall keep a true 
account of his receipts and payments, and at each 
annual meeting render the same to the Society, when 
a committee shall be appointed to audit his accounts. 
He shall make a report to the Board of Managers 
whenever called upon to do so. 



22 THE MONTANA SOCIETY, 

SECTION VI. 

THE REGISTRAR. 

The Registrar shall keep a roll of members, 
and in his hands shall be lodged all the proofs of 
qualification for membership, and all the historical 
and genealogical papers of which the Society may 
become possessed. Under the direction of the Board 
of Managers he shall keep in a suitable book, copies 
of such documents as the owners thereof may not be 
willing to have in the keeping of the Society. 

SECTION VII. 

BOARD OF MANAGERS. 

The Board of Managers shall have the general 
superintendence of the interests and business of the 
Society ; they shall perform such duties as may be 
committed to them by the Society ; they shall have 
power to make such rules and regulations, not in- 
consistent with the Constitution, By-Laws and Res- 
olutions of the Society, as may be necessary for their 
own management and the government of the Society. 
At each annual meeting they shall make a general 
report. Five members shall constitute a quorum at 
all meetings of the Board. 

SECTION VIII. 

AMENDMENTS. 

Amendments to these By-Laws may be made 
at any meeting of the Society by a vote of a major- 
ity of the members present ; Provided, that a notice 



SONS OP THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 23 

of the meeting and a cop}- of the proposed amend- 
ment shall be sent to every member at least one 
week prior to such meeting. 



